IPY Blogs

A friend acting strangely

Nobody appreciates the impact of Arctic change more than the people who live there. A unique feature of this IPY is a focus on understanding how people observe and respond to change. People are not passive observers but integral parts of the Arctic system.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC recently ended an exhibition that put a human face on the warming of the Arctic. A new web site incorporates images and information from that exhibition—Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely.

The National Snow and Ice Data Center also distributes a multimedia product, When the Weather is Uggianaqtuq: Inuit Observations of Environmental Change. Uggianaqtuq (pronounced OOG-gi-a-nak-took) is a North Baffin Inuktitut word that means to behave unexpectedly, or in an unfamiliar way. This interactive product uses maps, videos, and pictures to tell the story of people’s experience with change in two northern communities.

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The International Polar Year 2007-8 is a huge, exciting scientific campaign focussing on the polar regions. It is also an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate, follow, and get involved with, cutting edge science in real-time.